The China Daily reported late last week that all new residential construction in the massive powerhouse city of Shenzhen must install solar powered water heating system. While we applaud this gesture to renewable energy, it is worth noting that there is an exemption for buildings over 12 storeys. For those who have been lucky enough to have visited this dynamic and vibrant city, you will quickly get my point, in that there are very few, if any, new buildings under 12 storeys!

The Globe and Mail printed 3 letters of follow-up on the Friends of Science knock-out piecefrom the weekend found here and here. They are in the “insider edition” section for subscribers only, but here is a summary of them from the free section:

Vancouver – In the 15th century, Tim Ball would probably have been criss-crossing the country eloquently opposing the heliocentric theory of our universe, or in an even earlier era, making impassioned speeches claiming that the Earth is flat.

As you many of you know, we here at the DeSmogBlog have been following the Calgary, Canada – based super skeptic group, the Friends of Science, for quite some time now. What you might not have known is that we have been using extremely cutting-edge technology to do so.

Unfortunately, the Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper, has uncovered our high tech ways in their expose today on the Friends of Science and their connections to the oil industry. So, for those who have not read the G&M piece and in the spirit of full disclosure, here it is: string, tape and paper.

That’s right, much like Senior Agent Jack Malone on the CBS hit series “Without a Trace,” when we are hot on the trail of those kidnapping the truth on climate change, we use the very same forensic techniques – we take a piece of string, tape it on the wall and put two pieces paper with writing on it and make the connection between science and oil. Now everyone can start their own blog just like ours and start outing the bad guys.

We recently did a post on the outrageous claims made by Bonner Cohen, the “tobacco hack turned climate change flak,” in which Mr. Cohen, a “senior fellow” at the National Centre for Public Policy Research, who once stated on the science backing the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke that:

“The science [on tobacco smoke], of which the EPA avails itself, is that which happens to fit the political agenda of the moment …. the one certainty following the EPA's report on tobacco smoke, is that the available science is inconclusive.”

Scarily, his stance on climate change is quite similar:

“Your grandchildren would be best served, when considering climate change that we not allow ourselves to be driven by idle speculation, not by computer models. Simply look at the scientific data and see if in fact we are experiencing anything out of the ordinary.”

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.